Matvei Michkov did not seem pleased during the Philadelphia Flyers’ latest game. A moment on the bench between him and Nick Seeler is going viral, as Michkov is seen giving the gears to his teammate.
The Flyers were playing the Vancouver Canucks. It’s not entirely clear what the argument is over, but the reaction online is fascinating.
What Happened Between Michkov and Seeler?
No one seems to know why the two players were caught up in a heated exchange. It happened after a television timeout. Michkov is seen slamming a water bottle down, pointing fingers, and hitting the boards. He stands up a couple of times as if to suggest he’s going to take the argument a step further, but cooler heads prevailed and other teammates appeared to try and calm the Flyers superstar down.
Michkov is known as an emotional player who wants so badly to win and score goals. Some believe it was about an errant pass, but that’s not entirely clear. In the second period, there was a sequence where Michkov looked off Seeler and held onto the puck, choosing to shoot instead. It was a lower-percentage shot.
For the most part, as bad as it looks to see two teammates going at each other like this, many who have seen the video say it’s actually a good thing for the Flyers.
Fans Weigh in on the Michkov Reaction
“At least someone on the team has some fire,” wrote one fan. Another added, “Glad someone on this God-forsaken team isn’t complacent being 4-15.”
One fan pointed out that Porter Martone seemed to try to get in the middle of the argument and offer some calming reassurance to both players. “Good to see future captain Martone stepping in.”
Now What?
This won’t slow down Michkov trade rumors. While one play and one argument is not a reason to trade a star player, his name has been in the rumor mill before. Michkov has obvious talent, but he’s also struggled with consistency and getting on the right side of his coaches. He’s been benched before or given less ice time in the hopes that he’d learn to play a more well-rounded game. That has led to speculation that he might not be all that happy in Philadelphia.
While these two things might not be linked at all, fans will make the connection.
Time will tell if this becomes more than a heated exchange born of a fiery competition. That it speaks to a culture problem in Philadelphia might be a leap. Charlie O’Connor writes, “In a vacuum, I don’t think the argument is a huge deal. They happen. But this isn’t the first bit of smoke recently on the Michkov/teammates front. That context (smoke, fire, etc) is why you worry.”
Heated Flyers Bench Exchange Involving Matvei Michkov Is Going Viral